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New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-14 for their fourth consecutive win. This is the first time since the 2018-19 season that Chicago has won four games in a row.
After punting on their first drive, the Bears’ defense came up with a huge play when defensive end Montez Sweat forced a fumble on a sack of quarterback Spencer Rattler. That loose ball was recovered by the Bears on New Orleans’ 29 yard line. Though Chicago got into the red zone, they settled for a field goal after failing to convert a third down for a 3-0 advantage.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw an interception that was picked off to get New Orleans onto Chicago’s side of the field. Though they picked up 13 yards, the Saints missed their field goal attempt from 53 yards out.
Caleb Williams didn’t have an issue shaking off that mistake. He hit wideout Rome Odunze twice for 31 yards to get the ball deep into enemy territory. However, the drive stalled before the Bears could get into the red zone, so they kicked a field goal to go ahead 6-0.
It was an awful start to the day for Spencer Rattler. He started the game by going two for seven with -8 net passing yards, three sacks, and an interception. That INT was returned 39 yards to set Chicago’s offense up in enemy territory.
With a short field, the Bears easily scored. Running back D’Andre Swift made it into the end zone from 11 yards away for a touchdown and a 13-0 lead. Swift had 138 scrimmage yards and a rushing TD in this game.
Chicago found the end zone yet again after forcing another punt. Caleb Williams linked up with wide receiver D.J. Moore for 26 yards. That set up a one-yard touchdown run for a 20-0 lead with just under three minutes to go in the half.
The Saints finally put up a fight just before halftime. After a 57-yard catch by wideout Chris Olave, Spencer Rattler found Olave again for a 21-yard touchdown to bring the score to 20-7 at the break.
New Orleans continued to build momentum coming out of the break. Tight end Juwan Johnson had a 29-yard catch-and-run to get New Orleans into the red zone. Three plays later, Chris Olave recorded his second touchdown reception of the afternoon to cut the lead to 20-14. Olave finished the game with a season-high 98 receiving yards and two TD catches.
The Bears responded with a field goal of their own to go up 23-14. Though they got some points, they were probably disappointed that they failed to reach the end zone with a 1st and goal from the seven yard line.
Spencer Rattler struggled all day long. He completed 20 of 32 passes for 233 yards, two passing TDs, three INTs, a lost fumble, and four sacks. His second interception killed a drive late in the third quarter.
After that INT, the scoring slowed noticeably until the fourth quarter. Chicago kicked a 33-yard field goal to extend its lead to 26-14 with 6:22 left in the game.
Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns dominated the Miami Dolphins 31-6 for their first win under the guidance of rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Meanwhile, rookie running back Quinshon Judkins had a career day, with 84 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
The Browns got on the board first. After both teams punted, Cleveland got down to Miami’s 12 yard line thanks to a roughing the passer penalty on the Dolphins and a 17-yard scamper by Quinshon Judkins. The drive may have tapered out at the 12, but not before the Browns kicked a field goal for a 3-0 lead.
‘Phins running back De’Von Achane broke off a 46-yard run to get Miami onto Cleveland’s side of the field on the ensuing drive. After that, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed a pass to wideout Jaylen Waddle for 15 yards to get into the red zone. However, the drive died out, so Miami kicked a 33-yard field goal for a 3-3 tie early in the second quarter.
The Browns had the perfect response. After a defensive pass interference cancelled out a stop by Miami’s defense on third down, running back Quinshon Judkins found the end zone from 46 yards out for a touchdown and a 10-3 lead. That was the longest play of Judkins’ career.
Things went from bad to worse for the Dolphins after the touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, Miami fumbled the ball away. That live football was picked up by Cleveland on the Dolphins’ side of the field. After an unnecessary roughness penalty got Cleveland into the red zone, Qunishon Judkins took a direct snap over the goal line for a three-yard rushing touchdown and a 17-3 lead.
Miami was able to narrow the gap just before the break. A 23-yard run by De’Von Achane led to a 26-yard field goal as time expired for a 17-6 score at halftime. De’Von Achane had 82 total yards in the first half of this game.
Tua Tagovailoa’s turnovers once again proved to be disastrous. An interception he threw bounced into a defender’s hands and was returned 34 yards for a touchdown to give the Browns a 24-6 advantage with just 12 seconds gone in the third quarter.
The Dolphins looked like they were going to respond, but their drive fell flat. On a 4th and 8, Tua Tagovailoa found wideout Malik Washington for a seven-yard gain. Unfortunately, that reception was short of the first-down marker, which led to a turnover on downs.
Tua Tagovailoa’s second interception of the day couldn’t have come at a worse time. That INT was snagged at Miami’s 11 yard line and returned to the two. On the very next play, Quinshon Judkins muscled his way into the end zone for his first career three-touchdown game. That score gave the Browns a 31-6 lead.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Tua Tagovailoa was replaced by rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. Tagovailoa was 12 for 23 in the game with 100 passing yards and three interceptions.
New England Patriots @ Tennessee Titans
The New England Patriots and head coach Mike Vrabel exacted revenge on the team that once fired him by beating the Tennessee Titans 31-13. After starting the season 1-2, the Patriots have won four consecutive games.
Once again, Pats quarterback Drake Maye put up MVP numbers. He was 21 for 23 with 222 passing yards, 62 rushing yards, and two passing touchdowns.
Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward threw back-to-back passes of 11 and 20 yards to get to New England’s 34 yard line on the game’s first drive. Though the drive died out at the 31, Tennessee kicked a field goal for a 3-0 lead.
The Patriots looked poised to take the lead after getting down to Tennessee’s 12 yard line on their first possession of the day. However, Drake Maye was sacked on back-to-back plays, which led to a field goal for a 3-3 tie.
Tennessee answered back quickly. After an 18-yard completion, Cam Ward hit wide receiver Chimere Dike for a 38-yard touchdown to go back ahead 10-3. Ward was four for five with 87 passing yards and a TD to open the game.
New England was able to respond in the second quarter. Quarterback Drake Maye picked up 31 yards on the ground and through the air. Later, he hit wide receivers Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins for pickups of 16 and 22 yards to get into the red zone. That led to a three-yard TD pass for a 10-10 tie.
On their next drive, Cam Ward hit wideout Van Jefferson on back-to-back plays for gains of 12 and 15 yards to get to New England’s 30, which brought this one down to the two-minute warning. However, Ward missed on a 3rd and 12, so Tennessee kicked a field goal to go ahead 13-10 with 1:49 remaining in the second frame.
The Patriots would not be down long. Drake Maye threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte for a 17-13 lead at halftime. Maye completed ten of 11 passes for 110 yards, two TDs, and 43 rushing yards in the first half of this game.
New England was able to score a four-yard rushing touchdown to extend its lead to 24-13 on the first possession of the third quarter. Quarterback Drake Maye, who was injured on that series, later returned to the field to finish off the drive.
Tennessee made a critical error on its next possession. Cam Ward was avoiding a defender when he whiffed on a pass attempt, resulting in a loose fumble that was picked up and returned for a four-yard touchdown to give the Pats a 31-13 lead. Ward went 25 for 34 in the game with 255 passing yards, a touchdown, an interception, five sacks, and a lost fumble.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs crushed the Las Vegas Raiders 31-0 for their fourth win in their last five games. With that victory, KC now has the same number of wins as the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes once again looked like an MVP. He was 26 for 35 with 285 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, and three TD passes. Wideout Rashee Rice also impressed in his first game of the season, catching seven passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns.
Following an opening drive punt, Kansas City got on the board. Patrick Mahomes hit tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray for 72 combined yards. Eventually, Mahomes threw a touchdown pass to Rashee Rice for a 7-0 lead. This was Rice’s first start of the season after missing KC’s first six games due to a suspension.
After another punt, KC found the end zone again. They burned almost nine minutes off the clock on a 17-play, 84-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard TD pass to wideout Hollywood Brown for a 14-0 lead. Patrick Mahomes completed 12 of his first 15 pass attempts for 145 yards and two TDs.
Following another Raiders punt, the Chiefs were driving and made it down to Vegas’ 32 with two minutes to go in the second quarter. On a 3rd and 14, JuJu Smith-Schuster recorded a 19-yard catch-and-run to get into the red zone. From there, an illegal contact penalty nullified a stop on third down. The very next play, Mahomes threw a three-yard TD to Rashee Rice to go ahead 21-0 at the break.
Kansas City continued to pile it on out of the break. They orchestrated an 11-play, 65-yard drive that was capped off with a seven-yard touchdown run by running back Isiah Pacheco for a 28-0 lead.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith, who was eventually replaced by Kenny Pickett, couldn’t do anything today. Though he didn’t turn the ball over, he only threw for 67 passing yards in the game.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings
The Philadelphia Eagles were able to hold off the Minnesota Vikings for a 28-22 win, which ended their two-game losing streak.
It was a career day for quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver DeVonta Smith. Hurts finished the game with a perfect passer rating by completing 19 of 23 passes for 326 yards and three TDs. Also, DeVonta Smith had a career-high 183 receiving yards and a touchdown.
On their first drive of the game, Philly picked up five yards on a 3rd and 6, which allowed them to Tush Push their way to a fresh set of downs at their own 46 on the very next play. That eventually led to Jalen Hurts throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A.J. Brown on a 4th and 4 for a 7-0 lead. That was Brown’s first TD reception in four weeks.
A costly error hurt Minnesota’s efforts. After completing a 34-yard pass to wideout Jordan Addison to eventually get into the red zone, quarterback Carson Wentz failed to gain control of a shotgun snap, which led to a 22-yard loss on a 3rd and 10. Thankfully for the Vikes, kicker Will Reichard hit a 59-yard field goal for a 7-3 deficit.
Once they got the ball back, Minnesota faced a 3rd and 6. While attempting to throw a pass, Carson Wentz was crushed by a defender, which led to his pass being intercepted and returned 42 yards for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 14-3 lead. That was the first career INT for linebacker Jalyx Hunt.
The Vikings didn’t have an answer for that defensive touchdown. A deep pass intended for Jordan Addison was picked off, giving Philly control of the football at their own 44 yard line. Wentz finished the game with 313 passing yards, two INTs, and zero passing touchdowns.
Carson Wentz finally got things going after a Philly three-and-out. He connected with wide receiver Jalen Nailor for 26 yards. Two plays later, wideout Justin Jefferson recorded a 40-yard catch-and-run to get into the red zone. That set up a 4th and 1 at Philly’s six. Though Carson Wentz threw a touchdown, it was taken off the board due to an offensive holding penalty. That forced the Vikes to take a field goal for a 14-6 deficit with 6:34 remaining in the first half.
Philly’s offense took the field with 59 seconds left in the second quarter. Jalen Hurts completed two passes for 22 yards to get to the 38. Eventually, he suffered a sack, which allowed the Eagles to run out the clock and go into halftime ahead 14-6.
A good-looking series to start the second half ended with another field goal after Carson Wentz was flagged for intentional grounding at Philly’s nine yard line. As a result, Minnesota still found itself trailing, 14-9.
Backed up on their own 21 yard line, the Eagles responded quickly. Jalen Hurts hit wide receiver DeVonta Smith for a 79-yard touchdown to increase their lead to 21-9. That was the longest play of Smith’s career.
Minnesota finally scored a touchdown late in the third quarter. Running back Jordan Mason scored a touchdown from one yard away on a direct snap to narrow the gap to 21-16. Carson Wentz was four for four with 40 passing yards on that series.
Philly almost managed to answer back. DeVonta Smith made back-to-back catches of 19 and 28 yards to get to the Vikings’ 28. However, the Eagles were stopped on a 3rd and 5, forcing them to kick a field goal that Jake Elliott missed early in the fourth quarter. That was Elliott’s first miss of the season.
The Vikes capitalized on that blunder. Carson Wentz connected with Jordan Addison on two straight plays for 45 yards to get to Philly’s 15 yard line. But the drive ended in a field goal after Carson Wentz took an ill-timed sack on a 3rd and 5, so Minnesota still trailed 21-19 with 10:06 to go in the game.
The Eagles had the perfect answer for that scoring drive. DeVonta Smith made a 21-yard catch to get to Minnesota’s 26 yard line. On the very next play, Jalen Hurts hooked up with A.J. Brown for a 26-yard TD to take a 28-19 lead with 6:35 left in the fourth quarter. Brown had four catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
The Vikings refused to go away. Carson Wentz scrambled for gains of 16 and 12 yards to get into enemy territory. Though Wentz threw a touchdown, replay review allowed the refs to determine that the pass was actually incomplete, which led to a 4th and 2. Minnesota converted that fourth down attempt for a first down at the ten yard line. Philly held them out of the end zone, which set up a 4th and goal with two minutes to go in the game. Instead of going for the fourth-down conversion, Minnesota kicked a field goal to make the score 28-22 with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles got the ball back and faced a 3rd and 9 with 1:45 to go. Like he did all day, Jalen Hurts completed a 45-yard pass to A.J. Brown for a first down at Minnesota’s 11 yard line. From there, the Eagles were able to run out the clock to secure the win.
Carolina Panthers @ New York Jets
The Carolina Panthers downed the New York Jets 13-6 for their third consecutive win. With the loss, the Jets fell to 0-7 on the season.
After making it down to Carolina’s 33 yard line on the first drive of the day, the Jets attempted to pick up a first down on a 4th and 5. However, the Panthers’ defense held firm to force a turnover on downs.
Carolina took advantage of the Jets’ mistake. They put together a 13-play, 54-yard drive that ended with a field goal for a 3-0 advantage late in the first quarter. Quarterback Bryce Young accounted for 45 yards on that series.
The Panthers made a bold decision to go for a 4th and 1 at their own 49. However, the Jets were ready for the play and stuffed a rushing attempt by running back Rico Dowdle for no gain, which led to a turnover on downs.
Gang Green took advantage of the good starting field position. They picked up 33 yards to make it down to the red zone, where they kicked a field goal for a 3-3 tie early in the second quarter. Jets starting quarterback Justin Fields was injured on that drive and replaced by Tyrod Taylor. However, he returned to the field on New York’s next offensive series.
The scoring died down until late in the second quarter. Thanks to a good punt return, the Panthers were set up with the football at their own 48. After a 26-yard catch-and-run by running back Chuba Hubbard got Carolina into the red zone, Bryce Young found Xavier Legette for a three-yard pass TD and a 10-3 advantage.
Though the Jets were driving just before halftime, they, of course, made a costly mistake. Despite making it to Carolina’s 44 yard line, Justin Fields was sacked, which allowed time to expire in the first half.
The Panthers went up by two scores early in the third quarter. Carolina put together a ten-play, 38-yard drive that ended in a 29-yard field goal for a 13-3 Panthers lead. Running back Rico Dowdle accounted for 23 yards on that possession.
Tyrod Taylor ended up replacing Justin Fields in the second half for the Jets. However, the end result was still a punt.
Carolina also had its own QB problems. Bryce Young had to leave the game with an undisclosed injury. During a Jets offensive possession, he was seen walking down the tunnel into the locker room.
A promising Jets drive ended in disappointment as they so often do. Tyrod Taylor threw an interception in Carolina’s end zone that ended a series that made it to the Panthers’ 38.
The Jets finally got on the board again late in the final frame. Tyrod Taylor completed three passes for 56 yards to get to Carolina’s 29. However, New York wouldn’t gain another yard and kicked a field goal for a 13-6 deficit with 6:26 to go in the game.
The Jets forced a punt and got the ball back with 4:41 to go in the game and a chance to tie things up. However, Tyrod Taylor took a sack and then threw an interception on back-to-back plays.
The Jets somehow managed to get the ball back one last time with a chance to tie the game. But, they went three-and-out and punted the ball back to Carolina, who was able to run out the clock for the victory.
*Author’s note: all information and statistics are tracked in real time and are provided by the game’s broadcaster, NFL.com, and ESPN.com*
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
